Impromptu Illustration

It's a few days left before the weekend – then school starts. Being the art teacher, some of my colleagues will ask for a favor here and there to help decorate their room or hallway. This year, I am helping the first grade team by creating a hallway banner and t-shirt for their theme, "Dive into learning." I thought it would be a good opportunity to do an illustration. So, based on a concept from the 1st grade teachers, I came up with this in one sitting. It also gave me an excellent chance to try some different watercolor techniques.

I Don't Do "Cute"... or Do I?

As the school year approaches, we as teachers gear ourselves up with workshops, staff development, lesson planning and room-readying. Today, I was at an art teacher workshop. Got to do some really cool activities that I can't wait to incorporate into my lessons. One of them was creating a design for a creature and then create its egg out of modeling material. Well, without visual reference, I am a lost illustrator. So, I experimented with doing something TOTALLY out of my head and leaned it towards "cute." I have never done "cute" before, so this is my very first attempt.

En Plein Air

I've been on a real "en plain air" kick this summer. I think it's just been a nice break from painting from photographs. Nothing compares to painting from what you see through your own eyes rather than through a camera lens. I can see how colors and perspective can get distorted through a camera.

Today, we went to the pool with the kids and I took along my sketchbook and watercolors. It's not about details, as it is about shapes, composition and color. Not to mention, drawing and painting my 3-year-old daughter from life is a near impossibility.

Well, back to the lesson plans. School starts in 2 weeks!

Me, Myself and I

Well, every now and then, I just gotta draw myself. Not to mention, I am a member of networking sites and I was tired of using the same old pic of me as my profile image. It was weird digging through my old photos and drawing myself. It was almost like I went back in time to see what I once was – and to see how some of those physical features are still apparent and how they were passed down to my children. There were times I wondered if I was drawing myself or one of my kids.

Yeehaw!

I added a third illustration to "There's a Dinosaur in My Backyard" series. This one, the main character has made friends with the T-Rex and he takes her for a ride. As I said before, I would like to go back and flesh these stories out. Originally, the dino approaches her, then leaves. How boring is that? Anyway, next step: paint.